


resilience

by vonseal



Series: End of an Orbit [3]
Category: ASTRO (Band)
Genre: Action, Alternate Universe - Science Fiction, Alternate Universe - Space, Angst, Drama, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Outer Space, Romance, Science Fiction, Spaceships
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-08
Updated: 2019-03-08
Packaged: 2019-10-24 11:40:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,530
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17703656
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vonseal/pseuds/vonseal
Summary: while their troubles might seem large, while they might be unable to escape from horrible truths, the crew of the kcs ambition must learn to be resilient. dongmin, figuring out what's true and what's false; myungjun, unable to see his parents and feeling like a dead weight; and minhyuk, burdened with a heavy secret that must not come out - resilience is necessary for survival.





	1. mars 1.1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> guess who's back
> 
> DABS

Dongmin stared up at the ceiling above him, at the shadows splayed out across the paint and the lights that were now turned off. It had become a familiar sight to him in the past few weeks, ever since he and Seunghwan moved in together. He usually liked looking up at the ceiling; Seunghwan was always stretched out beside him and they shared their mutual affection for each other.

Now, though…

Now he was reminded only of Bin.

It has been a few days since Bin had left Mars. It had been a few days since they shared together those two nights. It felt like a second and had passed by far too quickly. Dongmin still longed for Bin, still desired him, but Bin was up in space and Dongmin was stuck down here.

He sighed and rolled over, now staring at Seunghwan.

Right as Bin had rushed off, a video suddenly surfaced exposing some wrongdoings of the Kyklos Syndicate. It was filmed on a low-quality camera, but the audio was still clear; Kyklos was up to shady stuff; drug lords being moved to private housing, factory situations on Helen and Leda, and Kyklos having some sort of security detail to stop dissenters.

Dongmin swallowed nervously.

His father was involved in it all.

He hadn’t expected the name to pop up. He hadn’t expected that man on the video to suddenly say, “Lee Wonshik.” It threw Dongmin off-guard and he remembered freezing and staring at the screen in horror. He had replayed that part over and over again, hopeful that he was mistaken or he heard it all wrong, but Lee Wonshik was the name given.

His father was involved with drug lords and slavery-like conditions and anything else Kyklos was doing under the cover of night. 

How  _ could _ he? How could his father do such awful things and then turn around and hug Dongmin? How could he treat people so horribly and still smile, as if his conscious was free?

His father had called him several times since that video was released, but Dongmin refused to answer. He didn’t know what to say. He didn’t know if he should ask, or if he should let it all go. Was he to believe the words of this video, of some man he had never met, or his father, who had loved him since his birth?

Once again, he sighed loudly, and Seunghwan shifted beside him.

“Dongmin?” the older man murmured, voiced laced with grogginess. “Are you alright?”

“Sorry,” Dongmin replied. He watched as Seunghwan picked his head up to stare over, then he added, “Just...thinking.”

“About that video?” 

Dongmin nodded his head but said nothing more. He didn’t need to say anything else. Seunghwan would understand. Seunghwan saw it, too, and while he hadn’t talked about Dongmin’s father’s involvement, he still tried his best not to approach the topic. Dongmin was grateful; what was he supposed to say about his own father possibly being evil? How was he supposed to respond to questions about that?

Seunghwan leaned over to kiss Dongmin’s forehead. He smoothed his hair back and said, “Don’t think too hard, Dongmin.”

“It’s...difficult not to. It’s impossible to place it out of my mind.”

Seunghwan offered him a small smile, though Dongmin felt he didn’t deserve it. Seunghwan was always so kind to him, always so sweet to him. In return, Dongmin had betrayed his trust and slept with Bin.

Some boyfriend he was.

Still, he refused to bring it up. He didn’t want to damn this relationship yet. It was a safe and secure companionship, and if he were to tell of his misdeeds, then it was likely that Seunghwan would leave him. Then what would he do? Bin was back in space and Dongmin wasn’t sure when he’d return. His father was involved in such shady business and Dongmin had no desire to wrap himself up in that mess.

Seunghwan was the only other person Dongmin had left that cared about him.

“Have you talked to your dad about this?” Seunghwan asked, bringing Dongmin’s thoughts back to the issue at hand.

He shook his head. “How am I supposed to talk to him? What am I supposed to say?”

“You ask him if what was said in the video is correct. Simple as that.”

It wasn’t simple, though, and Dongmin closed his eyes. “What if...what if it’s...true?”

If Dongmin were to learn the video was accurate, then he would learn that his father was a liar who was capable of awful things. Dongmin wasn’t sure if he could handle that. Dongmin wasn’t sure if he wanted to know any of that. 

Seunghwan drew him closer and planted a kiss onto Dongmin’s cheek. Spurred by the man’s love and acceptance, Dongmin muttered, “He’s always been exceptionally wonderful to me. After Mom left, all he wanted to do was please me. We went on a lot of outings. I have tons of pictures of us. He was with me as I grew, through my stupid, angsty teenage years. He supported me in everything I did. He helped me get this house and get my job and-and he’s...he’s an amazing father. So how could he  _ do _ something so wrong?”

“Maybe...maybe it’s the video that’s wrong,” Seunghwan suggested.

“How the hell is  _ that _ wrong? It was clear as day - my father was involved with the movement of drug lords. I mean…” Dongmin turned and buried his face in his pillow, hiding his loud huff of frustration. 

Seunghwan rubbed a hand up and down Dongmin’s back. “For all we know, that man could be lying. Who was this group that coerced him into giving out that information? Who even is this  _ man _ , that he knows all of this outlandish nonsense? It might be a false flag. It might be wrong.”

Dongmin grunted in response, and he heard Seunghwan give a small chuckle. “You need to trust your father, Dongmin. He’s wonderful, as you’ve mentioned - he’s helped me out a lot, too. I don’t think he’s the sort of person to work with drug lords or hurt others. Trust him, alright?”

Dongmin wanted to do as Seunghwan suggested. He knew he  _ ought _ to do as Seunghwan suggested. His father had never brought harm to anyone. His father deplored lying and stealing and all other things criminal. Why would he be a bad guy?

Still, he couldn’t bring himself to contact his father. He would stare at the messages his father would send, but he never once opened them. He never returned the calls, and the one time his father came to the house, he had Seunghwan lie and tell him that Dongmin was out.

Visiting the Kyklos headquarters was also growing increasingly difficult. Dongmin wondered how much the rest of the Kyklos employees knew, and he began to grow suspicious of all of the employees. They would smile or wish him a good morning, and Dongmin’s stomach would turn.

What if  _ all _ of them knew that Kyklos was actually evil? What if all of them were in on this secret and only Dongmin was the outsider? What if they were placing drug lords onto new housing planets? What if they were establishing factory conditions on small moons outside of government jurisdiction?

Dongmin could trust nobody, and so he kept his head down and focused solely on visiting his boyfriend.

“Seunghwan?” he muttered the next day as they ate lunch together.

Seunghwan glanced up. He looked dashing in his Kyklos uniform, as he always did; charming and handsome and  _ innocent _ . Surely Seunghwan wouldn’t know anything, either, right?

“What, um...what have you heard about that video?”

Seunghwan chewed on his food thoughtfully, swallowing before responding, “Well, most people don’t believe it. Everyone I’ve spoken to, at least, finds it...a bit outlandish. Kyklos isn’t known for ruining lives, and as far as I’m aware, we really  _ don’t _ have any presence on those planets that the video referred to. I haven’t found any record of it, anyway.”

Dongmin bit down on his lip and nodded his head. “Why would they mention my father, though?”

“I don’t know that, Minnie. I’m sorry.” Seunghwan reached over to grasp onto Dongmin’s hand. “He’s a director, though - he’s high in ranking and he’s a familiar name to people in the company. Minsoo used to be an employee here before they fired him, I’ve heard, for revealing information about operations to the press. Most of the information he delivered was false - perhaps he’s...lying. Perhaps he’s simply trying to garner a reaction from people, in some desperate attempt to get back at the people who lied to him.”

Dongmin wanted to believe it. He longed to believe it. “What sector did Minsoo work for?”

“Intelligence.”

Dongmin sighed. Why would someone from intelligence have anything to do with his father? His father worked in cargo.

He suddenly remembered Myungjun, however.  _ His father _ had fired Myungjun, who also worked in intelligence and had nothing to do with his father.

Why would his father be meddling in the affairs of intelligence?

“Do you remember,” Dongmin whispered, “Myungjun? That guy we caught deleting files on the computer?”

Seunghwan nodded, and he seemed to realize the same thing as Dongmin.

“Your dad has some sort of...involvement in intelligence?”

“I don’t know. He’s never mentioned it.” Dongmin was nervous. He shifted in his seat. “Dad did say that Myungjun was messing with the files of Bin’s ship- I mean, of the  _ KCS Ambition _ -” he noticed the way Seunghwan tensed at Bin’s name, but he chose not to delve into that. He needed to focus on the matter at hand. “And since that’s a cargo ship, it was up to Dad to fire him. But...did Minsoo work with any of the cargo ships? Would there be a reason for Dad to fire  _ him? _ ”

Seunghwan shook his head. He seemed more relaxed now that he knew the conversation would drift over to Bin. “Not that I know of. Again, there’s probably a lot going on behind the scenes that we don’t know about. Your dad isn’t a bad person - my bet is that Minsoo is just someone who feels wronged by Kyklos and so spoke out against them.”

Dongmin felt a little relieved after sharing his worries and concerns with Seunghwan. Seunghwan was always so kind, and Dongmin gave him a small smile before squeezing his hand gently. 

“I’ll talk to Dad,” Dongmin promised. “And I’ll calm down. I will. I’m sure nothing’s going on, and...and then we can just live a normal life together, right?”

Seunghwan blinked and then cocked his head. “No...distractions?”

“Right.”

“No...divided attention?”

He seemed to be referring to something - he seemed to be referring to Bin. They hadn’t discussed the first night Bin stayed with them, the night when Dongmin was  _ certain _ that Seunghwan had seen them kiss, but something told him that Seunghwan wanted Dongmin to admit to his sins. He wanted Dongmin’s confirmation that there was something going on.

Dongmin would refuse because he wanted Seunghwan to stay by his side.

He smiled again. “Right,” he agreed, though, in the back of his mind, he knew he would run to Bin the moment he could.

For now, Seunghwan was a constant and a friend and someone who loved him regardless of the mess all around, and Dongmin would stay with him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> you'll definitely want to read snibnoom's new part, as well! it should be up soon so go check it out!
> 
> i hope you guys will enjoy part two of EOAO! 
> 
> if you have any questions through the series, feel free to contact me on either my [tumblr](http://www.vonseal.tumblr.com) or my [twitter](http://www.twitter.com/thevonseal)! i will post spoilers on my twitter pretty regularly, and you can also check there for the schedule!


	2. charon 1.1

The food tasted bland, Myungjun noticed.

Then again, it had tasted bland for quite some time, probably since he had first come aboard the ship. While he was happy for meals after those few days spent eating next to nothing as he escaped the Syndicate, he couldn’t bring himself to enjoy what he  _ did _ have to eat. It all tasted like cardboard. It was dry and made him gag most of the time, and yet he ate because he didn’t wish to worry anyone else aboard the ship.

He wished, sometimes, that his body didn’t  _ need _ food, so he wouldn’t have to sit here and force himself to eat.

Jinwoo ate meals with him for the first few days they were together on the  _ Ambition _ . Meals were nice, because the love of his life sat beside him. Now, though, it was just him.

No one else ever sat down near him. Jinwoo was busy on Charon with the Rebellion leaders, Minhyuk was still avoiding him, Bin seemed to pretend as if he didn’t exist, and Sanha simply followed along with the actions of Minhyuk. 

He was miserable, and he laid his head down on the table next to his uneaten bag of dried fruits and meats, staring over at the wall.

If he hadn’t been such an idiot on Mars, none of this would have happened. Jinwoo and his crew would still be flying out in space. They would still call for help, and Myungjun would happily oblige, knowing that all of the secret Rebellion workers on board liked him. He would make frequent calls with Jinwoo and express his love. Maybe one day Jinwoo would come back for him, after the Syndicate had been fully exposed, and together they would liberate Helen. Jinwoo would let Myungjun’s parents come with him to Juno, where  _ his _ parents were, and they would forever live in peace and harmony.

At least, that had been Myungjun’s dream for such a long time. He ruined it by being careless, though.

He ruined everyone else’s dreams, too.

The door to the dining room opened and Myungjun quickly picked his head up and cleared his throat.

“Good evening, Sanha,” Myungjun greeted to the young boy who had just stepped in.

Sanha blinked at him, then asked, “Is Minhyuk not in here?”

Myungjun felt a pang in his chest. “No,” he mumbled. Minhyuk would never willingly put himself in the same room as Myungjun - not anymore, for some odd reason. It was miserable.

Sanha stared at Myungjun for a second or two before pointing at his food. “Are you not going to eat that?” he asked.

Myungjun shook his head, and Sanha quickly maneuvered over to the bags. He sat down beside Myungjun and opened the fruit first. “These aren’t that great compared to fresh food,” Sanha said. “We’re on Charon - why don’t you go grab something else to eat? Something fresh?”

“I...think it would be best if I stayed aboard the ship.”

“Why?” Sanha cocked his head. He looked innocent and youthful.

Myungjun hadn’t gotten a chance to talk to Sanha much. Other than the first day they met, they stayed away from each other; Myungjun stuck to Jinwoo’s side, and Sanha stuck to Minhyuk’s side. Their paths hardly crossed, and so they hardly spoke.

This was probably the most discussion they’d held since Myungjun was brought on board the ship.

“The Rebellion leaders aren’t...happy with me,” Myungjun pointed out. “I screwed up, and...they’re upset. I mean, rightfully so, I...I was given the talk of what I should do if the Syndicate caught me.”

“What’s that?”

Myungjun glanced over at Sanha. He was curious and confused. Had he not gotten the talk from the Rebellion before? Did he not know how the Rebellion was supposed to function?

“Um...it’s...not really important right now.”

Sanha eyed him cautiously but said nothing, for which Myungjun was thankful. He wasn’t ready to explain that he was supposed to have killed himself just so the Syndicate wouldn’t capture him and force out information. It was a bleak reality that Myungjun found he couldn’t do when the time came to it. 

He was weak. He was useless. Once more, he felt misery washing over him, and he slumped over in his seat.

“Are you sure you don’t want to talk to me?” Sanha asked. “I can be very good at listening sometimes. If you need someone to listen-”

“How’s...how are things with that girl that snuck on board?” Myungjun questioned, wanting nothing more than to draw the topic away from his life-threatening situation on Mars. 

Sanha, noticing the divergence, pursed his lips for only a split second before responding, “She’s fine. I mean, she’s going to stay quiet about everything, if that’s what you’re worried about. She still wants to help out with the Rebellion. She thinks what they’re doing is atrocious.”

Myungjun nodded his head. He hadn’t expected one of the crew members to have been on board when they took off from Mars. He felt guilt churn in his stomach - Jinwoo could have been in huge trouble if she decided against joining forces with the Rebellion. He had risked so much for Myungjun’s sake - they  _ all _ had.

And all Myungjun could do was sit around and wait for nothing.

“Jinwoo gave her some reports to read on, um, the factory planets and moons,” Sanha commented, as nonchalantly as he would discussing the weather. Myungjun’s eyes snapped over to meet his gaze. “Like...Helen. Where you and Minhyuk grew up together.”

“Oh.”

Myungjun was unsure what he could say in response to that. As far as he was aware, Sanha seemed to not know anything about the horrid life experienced on such planets. A few choice words and phrases Sanha had given made it clear to Myungjun that no one had told him. Myungjun wasn’t sure why; he didn’t know if Sanha was untrustworthy with the information, or if they just wished to protect him from the true terrors of what the Syndicate had been doing. Regardless, Myungjun hardly knew Sanha. It wasn’t his place to explain anything about his childhood.

“I haven’t read the reports,” Sanha mentioned. “Minhyuk won’t let me.”

“Why?”

Sanha shrugged. He slumped in his seat, pouting, and commented, “He always acts like he’s protecting me from stuff. Which is fine, but...I think, since I’m part of the Rebellion, I deserve to know, don’t I?” 

He had cute eyes and a little button nose and he puffed his cheeks out in frustration. Myungjun definitely recognized his childish features.

He also recognized how easily Sanha could use them to his advantage, and how much he was trying to right then.

“Nuh-uh,” Myungjun said, shaking his head. “If Jinwoo or Minhyuk haven’t told you, I’m in no position to do so, either.”

“Come  _ on _ , MJ!” Sanha whined. “You lived on Helen, too! All I know is that people worked in factories and it was maybe bad. I want to know more about where Minhyuk grew up!”

He was infatuated with Minhyuk. It wasn’t difficult to discern that fact. He followed Minhyuk almost everywhere, he talked about Minhyuk often, and he looked upon Minhyuk with the softest gaze Myungjun had ever seen anyone look at Minhyuk with. Likewise, Minhyuk seemed to be quite taken with Sanha, too. Myungjun had noticed the longing glances when he assumed no one else saw.

How disgustingly cute.

Still, even if Minhyuk was ignoring Myungjun, Myungjun still cared for him. Myungjun wanted Minhyuk to be happy and loved, to never be shoved aside or mistreated by someone he loved.

Myungjun narrowed his eyes. Would Sanha mistreat him?

Sanha, noticing Myungjun’s change of expression, asked, “What’s wrong?”

“You like Minhyuk, don’t you?”

The boy sputtered, scrambling up from his seat. “That’s stupid!” he exclaimed. “You can’t just blurt out stuff like this, MJ! You don’t know what you’re talking-”

“Minhyuk liked this kid when we lived on Helen.”

Sanha blinked, then murmured, “Does he  _ still _ like the kid?”

“God, sit down.” Myungjun pointed at the seat beside him, and Sanha plopped back into it, still pouting. He was trying to distance himself from  _ loving _ Minhyuk, which was instantly a no-go in Myungjun’s book. Minhyuk needed someone who would publically love and cherish him, not some wishy-washy child. 

Sanha, though, had potential. He was aware of some of  the wrongdoings of the Syndicate, he was brave enough to join the fight against them, and he seemed inquisitive as to Minhyuk’s previous life. He was just...odd. He was currently staying away from romance. Myungjun hoped he could change that.

“I won’t tell you much about our life on Helen - Minhyuk can do that if you ask him, I’m sure - but...when we were younger, he liked this kid. The kid was...I think my age, maybe a year or two older. Really cocky kid. Had about as little as we did and yet acted as if he owned the world. Our personalities clashed, so I instantly disliked him, but maybe Minhyuk was into extremely confident people like that.”

Sanha bit his lip. “Confident people,” he mumbled. “Right.”

“Maybe it’s...changed. Likes and dislikes must change.” It  _ must _ have changed if Minhyuk was suddenly going for this behemoth of a child. Still, Myungjun couldn’t very well judge, and so he continued to speak. “Anyway, the kid humored him for a while. Allowed Minhyuk to follow him and to dote on him. I honestly thought they’d get together. But then Minhyuk actually confessed, and...the kid just laughed. Said that he was only a friend and Minhyuk should’ve understood.” 

Sanha raised his eyebrows. “That’s...not nice. Even if he didn’t like Minhyuk back, why would he say it like that.”

“Because he’s a dick, probably,” Myungjun replied. “Point is, Minhyuk...deserves the best. He deserves someone who will proudly exclaim  _ yes, I love him _ , someone who will accept his feelings for what they are, someone who will never leave his side.”

His words seemed to have some effect on Sanha, who was slowly nodding his head.

“My only hope,” Myungjun continued, “is that he’ll soon find someone perfect for him.”

Sanha stared down at the bags of food. He drew a pattern in his pants and said, “Yeah. I hope so, too.”

Knowing that Sanha was likely to think over his words, Myungjun stood from his seat. “I’m going to go wait for Jinwoo to come back,” he stated. “You should, um...go hang out with Minhyuk. Figure out why he won’t talk to me.”

Sanha likely heard his words but chose not to respond. He might have still been considering Myungjun’s previous words.

No matter. Myungjun knew he wasn’t exactly here to make friends. If the rest of the crew didn’t like him, he wouldn’t expect Sanha to, either.

He walked down the hallways, taking his time as he remembered the maps in his mind, the ones he had ingrained into his soul. He knew this ship, despite never before having stepped foot aboard. He knew everything about it. He had just imagined he would always walk down with Jinwoo, with a smile on his face and joy in his heart.

He hadn’t expected to feel so lonely.

As he turned the corner, he ran into the new man on the ship, a Rebellion captain by the name of Jungsoo. Jungsoo merely glanced at him before nodding in greeting. “Myungjun,” was his curt acknowledgement of Myungjun’s presence.

Myungjun bowed his head briefly. “Jungsoo,” he responded.

Jungsoo sighed. “ _ Captain _ Jungsoo. It’s  _ Captain _ .”

“Not on this ship.”

“I made it very clear yesterday that Jinwoo was no longer the captain. He was only given that title by the Syndicate, and now that he obviously no longer works for them, he is simply  _ Jinwoo _ . You need an actual Rebellion leader if you plan on getting anywhere, so, yes, on this ship and elsewhere, I am  _ Captain _ Jungsoo.”

Myungjun really did not appreciate the new addition to the crew. Jungsoo was rude and rough and seemed to hate all of the crew members. He seemed to hate Jinwoo most of all, probably for breaking all the rules he had been given for his risky rescue mission on Mars.

Anyone who hated Jinwoo was Myungjun’s enemy.

“We’ll see,” Myungjun replied. “When will  _ Captain _ Jinwoo return from your headquarters?”

Jungsoo sighed deeply and turned back to the computer he was looking at. “His training lasts all day, as you very well know. Let’s hope he shall actually follow it this time.”

The conversation ought to have been over then. Myungjun knew he should leave to his room, yet a question remained on his tongue, the same question he had been wanting to ask Jungsoo since the moment he came on board.

“Can we go to Helen?” 

“No.”

Myungjun clenched his fists by his side as he glared at their new, fake captain. “My parents are on Helen. Once word spreads of my betrayal of the Syndicate, my parents will be at the mercy of those officials. Since Helen is not under any government jurisdiction, do you know how easy it will be for the Syndicate to dispose of them? I have to go rescue my-”

“You knew of these risks when you agreed to work with the Rebellion,” Jungsoo pointed out. He didn’t spare Myungjun an extra glance. “I’m very sorry for you and your parents, but the fact remains that we will not risk our entire operations to go rescue two insignificant people from-”

“They aren’t insignificant!” Myungjun snapped. “They’re my  _ parents _ , and you’re-”

“My answer is no.” Jungsoo shut the computer down and turned to look at Myungjun finally. “Mind your words. You’re already treading on very thin ice with the Rebellion for risking everything just a few days ago. Lay low and shut up.”

Myungjun could think of nothing to refute the fake captain. He could only watch as Jungsoo walked away.

Once he rounded the corner, Myungjun let out a cry of anger and kicked the wall beside him. 

He couldn’t stand this. He was cooped up on this ship, hounded with guilt at every waking moment, and only able to stand on his own. Jinwoo was busy, the rest of the crew didn’t like him, and his poor parents-

His poor parents were going to die if Myungjun couldn’t get to them in time.

He sat down on the floor in the middle of that hallway and allowed himself, not for the first time that day, to wallow more in his grief and pain.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> you'll definitely want to read snibnoom's [part 2](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17704514/chapters/42003665#workskin), as well! it should be up soon so go check it out!
> 
> if you have any questions through the series, feel free to contact me on either my [tumblr](http://www.vonseal.tumblr.com) or my [twitter](http://www.twitter.com/thevonseal)! i will post spoilers on my twitter pretty regularly, and you can also check there for the schedule!


	3. charon 1.2

Living in such close quarters with Myungjun for the past few days had been unbearable. Minhyuk felt like he was losing his mind. At every waking moment, he was trying to ensure that Myungjun wasn’t following him or seeking him out because that just called for awkward social interactions and left Myungjun looking absolutely heartbroken.

Minhyuk couldn’t even complain to Bin much about the state of things anymore, because Bin was called in for training by the Syndicate and seemed too overwhelmed for anything Minhyuk had to rant about.

Sanha was not a good candidate, either, for he was unaware of Minhyuk’s secret, just as he was unaware of how awful life truly had been upon the moon of Helen.

Minhyuk had only himself to complain to, and it didn’t work when his guilt was spiraling up and out of control.

He tried to calm it on the third day of their Charon visit, and in doing so he knew he would need to actually spend at least five moments with Myungjun, to appease the both of them.

Myungjun was easy enough to find. He divided up his time between the dining room and Jinwoo’s room. The few times he was elsewhere was when he sat in the bridge and stared over at the port they had landed at, at all the people moving about and the few other ships situated beside them.

That was where Minhyuk found him, draped over the captain’s chair and staring listlessly off out the windows.

He turned his head when he heard the doors open, and his eyes widened when he saw Minhyuk.

Minhyuk cleared his throat and offered him a wave. “Hey,” he greeted.

Myungjun said nothing. He only stared, mostly in confusion - he had good reason to be confused, Minhyuk realized, because it wasn’t as if they ever sought each other out anymore. Minhyuk avoided him like the plague, and Myungjun was ostracized by everyone else in the crew.

“Don’t you feel cooped up being inside the ship all day?” Minhyuk asked, trying his best to calm the hammering of his heart. “You haven’t gone outside since we’ve arrived.”

Myungjun’s lips were tight. He looked away. “The Rebellion is pissed with me,” he muttered. “So what’s the point of going out when all they’ll do is complain about how I screwed things up?”

“Ah, well…”

“ _ You _ think I ruined things for the crew, too, don’t you?” Myungjun asked. He still didn’t look back at Minhyuk. “You’re pissed off at me, as well. I know you are. You sneak around behind my back, you and Bin whisper in hallways, and you’ve even got Sanha eyeing me suspiciously as if I’ve done something wrong. My only crime was wanting to live — sorry if I inconvenienced you with that wish.”

“Don’t talk like that,” Minhyuk snapped. “You know damn well I didn’t want you dead.”

“Then why are you treating me as if you  _ did _ ?” Myungjun sighed in frustration before standing up from the seat. “I’m going to go take a shower.”

Minhyuk blocked the entryway, however, and stated, “You’ve taken ten showers in just a few days. It’s a bit wasteful, don’t you think?”

“I’m a waste of space on this ship, anyway, so what’s it matter to you?” Myungjun snapped.

Still, Minhyuk refused to let him pass. “Myungjun...I did  _ not _ want you dead. You know that as well as anyone. We’re...we’re friends, right? We’re best friends. Why the hell would I want you dead if we’re best-”

“Are we?” Myungjun grabbed Minhyuk’s arm and wrenched him from the door. “You’ve been treating me like I’m not even  _ here _ , and if you  _ do _ have to interact with me, you’re  _ forced _ to. That’s not how friends work, Minhyuk! We haven’t really gotten the chance to speak in ages, and now that we’re finally together, this is how you treat-”

The door opened, and both Minhyuk and Myungjun stepped out of the way to make room for Jungsoo.

He was a Rebellion leader from Charon and he had quickly taken over Jinwoo’s role of captain. He was cold and dogmatic and hadn’t exactly made friends with any of the other crew members aboard the  _ Ambition _ . From a brief look, too, Minhyuk could easily detect animosity between Jungsoo and Myungjun.

“What are the two of you doing in here?” Jungsoo asked. “I heard raised voices - we don’t need strife at a difficult time like this.”

“I apologize, Captain,” Minhyuk murmured, bowing his head as a sign of respect.

Myungjun seemed to take a different route. He held his head high and asked, “When will we be stopping by Helen,  _ Jungsoo? _ ”

The slight made Jungsoo roll his eyes. He shoved past Myungjun and said, “As I’ve told you before, we are not stopping by Helen.”

“Two of your crew members have family on Helen.” Myungjun glanced over at Minhyuk who quickly averted his gaze. He did not wish to be brought into such a conversation, especially when he really disagreed with going back to Helen. Myungjun would figure out what happened to his parents if they were to return. “It would be in our best interest to rescue them-”

“We’re not a rescue ship,” Jungsoo said. He looked over at Myungjun and raised his eyebrows. “Something that Jinwoo, unfortunately, seemed to have forgotten.”

Even Minhyuk had to keep his tongue upon hearing that slight. It wasn’t fair to put all of the blame on Myungjun, yet Jungsoo seemed determined to do just that.

Perhaps it had to do with Myungjun’s annoying request to visit Helen every five seconds. Minhyuk would bet his money on that.

“ _ Captain _ Jinwoo is ten times more of a man than you will ever be,” Myungjun retorted. “He was willing to risk his own life and livelihood in order to save me - not too many people could say the same of themselves.”

“Mm, they couldn’t. Jinwoo also risked the lives and livelihood of everyone else aboard the  _ Ambition _ and everyone else who relies on the  _ Ambition _ for information of the Syndicate. So I wouldn’t put too much stock into his worth.”

It was clear that Myungjun had plenty of choice words on his mind. He looked about ready to explode, shaking with unbridled rage, and so Minhyuk realized he desperately needed to cut in, at least to save Myungjun’s skin.

“Regardless of what Jinwoo did, we all made it out fine,” Minhyuk said. “And for now, we will respect whatever orders you might give us and I’m sure Myungjun understands that we can go to Helen at a later date.”

Myungjun turned his glare onto Minhyuk, who did his best to ignore it. “I’ll take Myungjun and show him a bit more about the ship so he can be more useful-”

“Actually, I had a better idea. Myungjun, you worked well as an intelligence officer and managed to figure out the Syndicate computers and databases and so I would like you to attend one class to make better use of that skill.”

“I refuse,” said Myungjun.

Minhyuk nudged his shoulder and Myungjun scoffed. “Why the hell should I accept? I don’t want to help out Jungsoo.”

“That’s perfectly fine,” Jungsoo replied. “But your skills will help out Jinwoo and Minhyuk and the others on board the ship. If you learn something useful, something they don’t know very well, you could be an asset in dangerous and important situations.”

It seemed as if those words caught Myungjun’s attention more. He bit down on his lip and glanced over at Minhyuk.

“You should do it,” Minhyuk urged. “It will be something to get you off the ship. Besides, if you do well and learn a lot, I’m sure we...we can get back to Helen in no time at all.”

He didn’t want to. He would rather die before going to Helen. However, he wanted to make amends with Myungjun and rekindle their friendship. If they were not going to head over to his home planet, then he could afford to become close to Myungjun once more.

Maybe.

Myungjun sighed and glanced over at Jungsoo. “I’m not doing it for you,” he snapped. “I’m doing it for the rest of the crew.”

Jungsoo shrugged his shoulders. “Alright. That’s fine, as I’ve stated before. If you wouldn’t mind, then, following me, I’ll take you to your transport. It will only take a few hours, and then you can hone those skills as we get back in space.”

They left, though not without Myungjun uttering something rude about Jungsoo to Minhyuk.

Minhyuk was alone. He ran his fingers through his hair as he considered their next actions.

As long as Jungsoo remained captain, they would not go to Helen - Minhyuk was certain of that. The moment that Jinwoo took command, however, would be the moment that Minhyuk’s lie would come back to haunt him.

He just had to make sure Jungsoo stayed on board.

He just had to make sure Jinwoo was never reinstated as captain.

Hopefully, that wouldn’t be too difficult.

 

************************

 

Myungjun was exhausted. The training had lasted way longer than a  _ few  _ hours. Myungjun had no clue what time it was (Charon was much different than Mars in terms of sunlight and night or day), but he knew it was well past the time he normally would go to sleep.

He struggled to keep himself awake as he was driven back to the ship port. His head leaned up against the window of the vehicle and he kept pinching himself to stop from falling asleep.

“Jungsoo is stupid,” he mumbled to himself as he returned to the  _ Ambition _ . The lights were on night mode, an indication that everyone else was asleep. “Damn Jungsoo. He’s an idiot.” Myungjun spoke quietly, not wishing to face the wrath of any of the crew members should he wake them up, but he still felt the need to voice his opinions out loud. 

He stumbled to Jinwoo’s room and opened the door.

No one was there.

The bed was empty of human life, the sheets still pulled up as Jinwoo had made them earlier that day. Myungjun stared at the bed for a few seconds before turning his sight to the bathroom. “Jinwoo?” he called out, peeking into the small room that housed their shower and toilet.

Jinwoo was not there, either.

Myungjun yawned. He longed to sleep, but even though his body and mind were both exhausted, he couldn’t sleep without Jinwoo by his side.

He left the room and slowly walked down the hallway.

Jungsoo probably still had Jinwoo in training. That was the only explanation that Myungjun could think of. Jungsoo was a bastard and likely kept him there for the sole purpose of separating him from Myungjun’s side for the night. Maybe he had gotten agitated with Myungjun’s lack of respect. Maybe this was meant to teach a lesson of sorts.

If it was, then Myungjun wouldn’t hesitate to ruin Jungsoo’s life.

Myungjun made his way to the bridge. From there, at least, he might be able to see Jinwoo returning to the ship after his training. He could stay awake on one of the more uncomfortable chairs - there was no way he could sleep on such hard surfaces.

He opened the door to the bridge and realized that Jinwoo had been on the ship all along.

He sat in the captain’s chair, where Myungjun had been sitting just hours before. He didn’t look over to see who the newcomer was; he simply stared out the large windows at the darkness that surrounded them.

Myungjun stepped closer. “Jinwoo?”

“Hey,” said Jinwoo. He still didn’t turn around. “Minhyuk told me that you had gone for training in computers and hacking and codes?”

Myungjun nodded, but after realizing Jinwoo couldn’t see, he replied, “Yeah. How...how was your training?”

Jinwoo was silent for a few seconds. He stood from his seat, back still to Myungjun and finally sighed, “It sucked.”

Myungjun moved to stand right behind Jinwoo. He tentatively reached his hands out and drew his boyfriend into a hug.

“I’m sorry, Jinnie,” he murmured, resting his head on Jinwoo’s wide, muscular back. “You don’t need the training, you know. You’re a fantastic captain.”

“Not anymore,” Jinwoo said. “I’m...not a captain anymore.” He sighed loudly and ducked his head. Myungjun held him all the tighter. “You know, I was so preoccupied with finding you, with saving you, that I didn’t bother to think about the rest of my crew. And when Jungsoo started accusing me of losing sight of what matters and putting everyone else in danger, I was mad. I fought back against that accusation because I truly care about my crew. But...he’s right. Jun, he’s  _ right _ . I don’t regret saving you, not for a single second, but I really have put all of their lives in jeopardy. I disobeyed direct orders, and in doing so, I could have...killed someone in my crew. The Syndicate could have stopped us and then Bin and Sanha and Minhyuk would be caught up in this mess I dragged them into, and...god, I don’t know what I would’ve done  _ differently _ , though. I regret it, but at the same time, I don’t regret it, because you’re safe now.”

“Captains have to make tough decisions sometimes,” Myungjun said, his voice muffled slightly from Jinwoo’s shirt. “I’m sorry that you had to make  _ that _ tough decision, though.” He rubbed a hand up and down Jinwoo’s back. “I still think you’re a better captain than Jungsoo is. You’re  _ loyal _ . Captains need to be loyal. Jungsoo isn’t loyal - he simply follows orders and acts like he makes hard decisions when he just lets the Rebellion make those decisions for him.”

Jinwoo answers with a noncommittal grunt. Not satisfied with that answer, Myungjun spun Jinwoo around and looked harshly at him. “Jinnie.”

“What?”

“You  _ are _ a better captain than Jungsoo. You know that, right?”

Jinwoo shrugged his shoulders. “He has more experience. He has more knowledge. He has-”

“He isn’t  _ you _ . Look...Bin and Minhyuk and Sanha choose to follow  _ you _ for a reason. They know you wish to protect them. That’s what makes a truly great captain.” He looked over into Jinwoo’s sorrowful eyes. “You would lay down your life to protect any of them, wouldn’t you?”

“Of course,” Jinwoo whispered. “But-”

“Shh.” Myungjun silenced him with a kiss, swallowing whatever words Jinwoo would have said. “No buts,” he murmured when he drew back. “You’re the best captain ever. You’re the only captain I ever wish to follow. You’ll get your title back and then we’ll go back to how things were before. I can help, too - I have some skills that might be valuable. And I’ll do whatever Captain Jinwoo asks of me.”

Jinwoo finally let out a small smile. He ruffled Myungjun’s hair. “I could never ask anything of you,” he said. “I love you too much to order you around.”

“Well, you’ll have to order me around, because I’m part of your crew now.” Returning the smile, Myungjun stood straight and asked, “What is your first order of command, Captain Jinwoo?”

Jinwoo looked thoughtful, narrowing his eyes and tapping a finger against his chin, before saying, “Dance with me.”

“Of course!” Myungjun beamed. “Let me play some music-”

“No, it’s alright. I don’t need music.” Jinwoo wrapped his arms around Myungjun’s waist and began swaying slightly. “Just like this,” he whispered. “Just the two of us. I just...I just want to hear  _ you _ . That’s all.”

Myungjun blushed, but he liked it. He liked the proximity. He liked Jinwoo’s gentle hands. He liked the backdrop of the sky with a few stars dotted here and there.

He  _ needed _ this, too. As he drew closer and relaxed into Jinwoo’s embrace, he realized what tension he had was melting off his shoulders.

Things would work out, he realized.

After a few minutes of dancing, Jinwoo asked, “Shall we go to our room?”

_ Our room. _ Myungjun was alight with passion and love. “Of course.”

“I want to continue our dance, though. I want to treat you with the adoration you deserve.” Jinwoo kissed Myungjun’s nose and asked, “Sleep with me, Myungjun?”

Myungjun giggled. “Of course, Captain.”

Things would be alright, he realized, because he had Jinwoo right by his side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> you'll definitely want to read snibnoom's [chapter three](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17704514/chapters/42227132#workskin), as well! it should be up soon so go check it out!
> 
> if you have any questions through the series, feel free to contact me on my [twitter](http://www.twitter.com/thevonseal)! i will post spoilers on my twitter pretty regularly, and you can also check there for the schedule!


	4. mars 1.2

Dongmin stared at the ship in front of him. It’s rather daunting, how large it was, and he had the thought that no matter how often he was to see these types of ships, he would never stopped being amazed with the sheer size and capacity of any of them. 

Of course, the moment he stepped inside, he realized just how small the repurposed fighter ships truly were. 

“So typically,” Seunghwan was explaining, gesturing around, “this portion remains empty. The main entryway, after all, needs to be clear. The cargo rooms are over there, past the emergency med bay.”

Dongmin followed Seunghwan deeper into the ship. He took note of the emergency med bay, remembering that Bin’s duties also involved making sure everyone was taken care of. 

_ “Have you ever performed surgery or anything like that?” Dongmin had asked once, enthralled with tales of Bin’s adventures out in space. _

_ Bin had laughed and shook his head. Voice a bit staticy due to bad CTL transmission, he responded, “Fortunately, there’s never any need to. I would just do basic work on people, anyway, and save the intense stuff for whenever we land on a planet.” _

Dongmin had been expecting a bit more for the med bay, however. He thought that it would be larger, perhaps better equipped, and not so close to the rest of the cargo. 

Seunghwan glanced over at him and smiled. “It’s important to check here and make sure things are well stocked. They need medicine and tools. They ought to be cleaning bed sheets whenever they’re used, as well. Things need to be sterilized, and you should test for all of that. I’ve had quite a few ships skimp out on their duties and the captains were reprimanded harshly.”

“Wouldn’t this job be for a medical personnel?” Dongmin asked, jotting down a few notes. “Why would the captain be in trouble?”

“The captain takes the blame for things that go wrong,” Seunghwan responded, leading Dongmin next to the cargo bay. “In turn, he can reprimand his crew, but he takes initial and full responsibility for the lack of effort his crew displays. It’s up to the captain to reign them in better.”

Dongmin wondered if Bin had ever gotten in trouble for carelessness or laziness. He couldn’t imagine it. Bin was always very responsible. Bin was a good second-in-command. Surely he would never disappoint his captain.

His boyfriend suddenly tugs at his arm and points. “You’ll have to remember to check the cargo bays, as well. That’s one of the more extensive checks. You’ll get lists with what  _ should _ be on the ship, just to make sure the crew isn’t stealing or else smuggling goods. For your first few times, I’ll definitely help you out, so don’t worry too much, alright.” 

Seunghwan seemed to notice the thoughts brewing inside Dongmin’s head. He had become rather intuitive as of late. He had been watching Dongmin carefully, analyzing him cautiously, and Dongmin couldn’t help but wonder if it had to do something with the nights Bin had come over.

Had he guessed? Did he  _ know? _ Dongmin wasn’t sure, and he couldn’t find the courage to ask. Instead, he just allowed Seunghwan to become slightly more interested, slightly more possessive, and kept his mouth shut about it all.

To ease his boyfriend’s concerns, he planted a kiss onto his cheek. “I’d appreciate your help very much,” he murmured. “What’s next?”

Seunghwan smiled widely, obviously pleased with the kiss. He grabbed onto Dongmin’s hand and said, “Upstairs! I’ll show you the bridge, first.”

Even while he spent time with such a sweet and loving boyfriend, Bin still kept popping up in Dongmin’s mind. They climbed the ladder and he couldn’t help but think about Bin speeding up and down a similar ladder. His arms were definitely strong enough to climb it several times a day - Dongmin ought to know a thing or two about his arms.

A blush overtook his face, even as Seunghwan began to speak once more. Had they  _ really _ slept together? It seemed like a dream at the time; it still did, days later. Dongmin knew it happened, and yet it seemed like something he would have only dreamed up.

Bin must truly love him. Dongmin smiled, feeling warm inside, as he remembered how close Bin had held onto him. Bin had kissed him so gently, too, so sweetly, so lovingly. It had been absolutely perfect.

“—Dongmin, did you hear me?”

Well, absolutely perfect, save for the fact Dongmin already  _ had _ someone in his life who treated him just as well. He blinked and glanced over at Seunghwan. “Sorry, what?”

Seunghwan faltered slightly. His grin failed and he hesitated. “It’s...we’re on the bridge, and I was just…” He took a deep breath and then laughed, as if trying to dispel any worries he had. “Are you already bored of me, Minnie? I am pretty boring, aren’t I?” He was bright-eyed, eager to get Dongmin’s attention.

Dongmin felt bad. He really  _ should _ be paying Seunghwan attention; not only was this his boyfriend trying to help, but it was also a coworker trying to train. He needn’t be spacing out like this, especially if he was only thinking of Bin.

“Sorry!” Dongmin exclaimed, grasping onto Seunghwan’s hand. “I think I’m overwhelmed with all this information!” It was a lie, one he was sure Seunghwan was aware of, yet Seunghwan seemed to brush it off with another laugh.

“Let’s pay attention this time, then,” Seunghwan said, leaning over to plant a kiss onto Dongmin’s cheek. “And let me take you to the bridge.”

Dongmin agreed, nodding his head, but he couldn’t help but think that Bin would probably stand on the bridge often to look out into space. Dongmin wondered if Bin often thought of him.

Dongmin hoped he did.

 

************************

 

Myungjun listened to the commands Jungsoo was shooting forth. He sounded like he had done this plenty of times before. He sounded like a seasoned captain. The rest of the crew followed his orders well, likely spurred by the authority in his tone of voice.

“You know,” he blurted out, cutting Jungsoo off mid-order, “Jinwoo was a far better captain, in my personal opinion.”

Jungsoo sighed loudly. “And you only knew him as your captain for a few days. I doubt you’re in any position to decide who’s better.”

“I’ve been  _ working _ with him for longer than a few days. I know him pretty damn well.” Myungjun sat back in his seat, tugging uselessly at his restraints. “These are too tight,” he whispered to Jinwoo, sitting beside him. 

Jinwoo instantly began to help loosen the belts a little bit, allowing some relief to flood into Myungjun’s chest. “Don’t pull at them so hard next time,” Jinwoo responded softly.

As he settled back, Myungjun watched him subtly. He noticed how envious Jinwoo appeared to be, staring over at the captain’s seat, and how he twitched ever-so-slightly whenever one of his crew members responded to Jungsoo’s commands. He clearly missed his position as captain, and Myungjun hated Jungsoo even more for taking this away from Jinwoo.

“Myungjun,” Jungsoo snapped, “check our AI systems on the computer. Ensure things are running properly.”

Myungjun turned his attention away from Jinwoo and glanced at the computer in front of him. He hadn’t pressed anything, and he had no plans to. He didn’t want to assist Jungsoo in anything. “No.”

“Please do not reject a direct order from your captain-”

“Some captain  _ you _ are,” Myungjun mumbled. “You came onto this ship to steal a place from its rightful captain, and you expect everyone to just-”

“Myungjun!” Jinwoo whispered, leaning in close to his boyfriend. He looked nervous, glancing from Jungsoo back to Myungjun. “Just do as he asks.”

Myungjun scoffed. “I’m not going to let him get his way! That’s unfair, and you know it!”

“I’m going to be honest with you - Jungsoo doesn’t need you. You have some skill with computers, but, honestly, Junnie, you’d be better off on Charon. I leveraged with him and convinced him to let you stay on, but we haven’t left the planet yet - you  _ will _ get booted if you keep talking back.” He was whispering, despite the fact Myungjun was certain that Sanha, at least, could hear. “So, please, for  _ our _ sake, just...just do as he asks.”

It was difficult to reject Jinwoo’s request when he was pleading in such a manner. Myungjun bit down on his lip and tried his best to swallow his pride. “Fine,” he murmured, opening the files of the computer. He spared a look toward Jungsoo, who looked pleased, and added, “I’m not doing it for  _ you _ , Jungsoo, I’m doing it for Captain Jinwoo.”

Jungsoo rolled his eyes and gave him a quick snap of, “Pest,” before continuing in his preparations for lift-off.

Myungjun lazily scrolled through the system. He knew it well enough. On Mars, he had studied the  _ KCS Ambition _ intensely. He had memorized all the files and all the inner workings of this type of cargo ship, just in case it might be of use someday. He recognized most of the file names, and so he felt ready to sign off on his confirmation that the ship and systems were secure.

Except…

There was one file he found unfamiliar. It was under a weird name and installed around the time Jinwoo and his crew had landed at Mars. Myungjun stared at it before attempting to open it.

_ PASSWORD, _ the screen prompted.

Myungun tried his own credentials, hopeful he wasn’t yet blocked from the system. Unfortunately, his password was not recognized.

“Jinwoo, can you see if you can type in your password here?” he asked, gesturing at his boyfriend. “It’s a weird file.”

Jinwoo studied it, too, before agreeing with Myungjun. “Yeah,” he mumbled. “Here, let me-”

His password was blocked, as well.

“Is everything alright?” Jungsoo asked, seeming exasperated.

“Fine,” Myungjun replied. “Just...a weird file. Everything else is in order. This might be...maybe something that someone else in the crew installed.”

“Like porn?” Bin asked. Myungjun sighed and glanced up.

“Sure, Bin. Just like porn. Stop drooling, I can’t even open it.”

Bin huffed. “Rats.”

“Well, if everything else is working fine, I’m sure it’s nothing important,” Jungsoo said, waving it off. “Likely what you mentioned. Work on bypassing the file as we travel, alright?”

Myungjun nodded his head, already pulling up the command prompt in an attempt to find a way around it. “You know what would make it easier on me to open this?” he started, conversationally, keeping his eyes solely on his screen.

He heard Jungsoo order Sanha for take-off, but then the fake captain asked, “What?”

“If we were to go to Helen. I’d be  _ way _ more energetic and enthusiastic about helping you.”

The ship jolted as it rose from the landing pad. Myungjun couldn’t get used to the feeling, and he lurched in his seat, feeling the restraints pressing hard on his chest. He coughed and Jinwoo moved to loosen them again.

How often had they done this that everyone else was unaffected? How often would Myungjun have to go through the painful and sickening experience of take-off in order to become used to it?

“We aren’t going to Helen,” Jungsoo responded. “Sanha, set coordinates to Virgo Alpha System, Confucius.”

Myungjun held tightly onto his seat and squeezed his eyes shut, trying to keep his stomach down as the ship moved suddenly. “I’d work better in Helen,” he repeated.

“If you mention Helen again, I’ll lock you in the communal showers for the rest of our trip,” Jungsoo told him.

The ship was stabilizing again. So was Myungjun’s stomach. “My parents are  _ with _ the rebellion! Why aren’t we protecting those fighting with us-”

“I second locking him in a room,” Minhyuk stated.

Myungjun opened his eyes and glared at the back of Minhyuk’s head, as the younger boy poured over a computer. “You bastard-”

“They might have valuable information,” Jinwoo pointed out, reaching over to grab onto Myungjun’s hand. “And I think the situation has become unavoidable at this point. Once we get a new ship, perhaps we can-”

“If you had stuck to your protocol, Jinwoo, and left Myungjun on Mars as you were ordered to, we wouldn’t be having this conversation right now.” Jungsoo turned his glare from Myungjun over to Jinwoo, who stared back defiantly. “Helen has nothing for us. We will not go to Helen.”

“But-”

“Enough.” Jungsoo unclasped his restraints and stood from his seat. “This conversation is over. I refuse to hear anymore discussion about  _ Helen _ . Jinwoo, you got him, so keep him in line. And, Myungjun - just find out what that damn file is and keep your mouth shut.”

Before Myungjun could find the chance to retort, Jungsoo was already halfway across the bridge, almost to the exit, and Myungjun knew anything he would blurt out would likely fall on deaf ears.

He ignored the uncomfortable glances and stares from Bin and Sanha. He ignored Minhyuk ignoring  _ him _ . He simply released his own restraints and leaned back in his seat.

Jinwoo kissed his forehead. “Don’t worry,” he whispered, smiling kindly at his boyfriend. “We’ll get to Helen.”

“Yeah. Sure.”

“We  _ will _ . I disobeyed orders once before, and I’ll do it again for you. I’d do anything for you.” 

Myungjun was drawn closer to Jinwoo. The chair pushed into his side uncomfortably, but as long as he remained in Jinwoo’s embrace, he didn’t care.

Perhaps they would be able to still save his parents. Perhaps they  _ could _ convince Jungsoo to help them. Even if not, Jinwoo would have a plan; Jinwoo would always have a plan.

In the meantime, Myungjun decided he’d best bide his time by opening up that stupid file and figuring out what was plaguing the ship’s computer system.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> you'll definitely want to read snibnoom's [chapter four](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17704514/chapters/42436535#workskin), as well! 
> 
> if you have any questions through the series, feel free to contact me on my [twitter](http://www.twitter.com/thevonseal)! i will post spoilers on my twitter pretty regularly, and you can also check there for the schedule!


	5. mars 1.3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> for things to make sense, you will DEFINITELY want to read snibnoom's [chapter five](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17704514/chapters/42646256) first!

Dongmin was eating dinner when he received a call from Bin.

Since Bin had left him, they had yet to speak. Dongmin wasn’t quite sure what was going on, but he could only imagine it was something urgent, something important. Bin  _ would _ have contacted him otherwise, wouldn’t he? After all, they had spent that one wonderful night together. They had kissed and expressed love, and shouldn’t Bin call him after that?

There were no calls for a few days, however, and Dongmin had been beginning to feel used. He thought he should focus on his relationship with Seunghwan, instead. Seunghwan was sweet and pleasant and kind. Seunghwan liked him, too. Maybe Seunghwan liked him more than Bin.

In any case, he did show that he cared more than Bin had.

But this call could change things. Dongmin stared at his watch before making the split-second decision to answer it. He stood from the table, his chair scraping loudly across the floor.

Seunghwan, seated in front of him, glanced up. “Dongmin? Are you alright?”

“Got a call,” Dongmin responded, making certain not to flash his watch in Seunghwan’s direction. He didn’t want his boyfriend to know who was calling. Seunghwan had never really said anything concerning his obvious love for Bin, but Dongmin  _ knew _ it must bug him. He sensed slight irritation whenever he mentioned Bin’s name. Keeping silent on that matter, then, benefitted the both of them.

Seunghwan blinked curiously. “A CTL call? Who from?”

“Um, just...just a friend. From work.”

“You’ve hardly been working—” Seunghwan started, but Dongmin was already hurrying down the hall. He made it to the CTL room in record time, then keyed in his credentials and waited for the lasers to roar to life.

Projected in front of him was Bin.

Dongmin was mad he hadn’t called earlier, and yet in Bin’s presence, he could do nothing but smile. 

“Hey,” Dongmin greets, feeling breathless in front of this man. His heart pounded in his chest and joy filled his entire body. He wanted to scream and shout and kiss Bin all over, but he was restrained by the limitations of the CTL system.

He was going to make a transportation device. He would use it to his heart’s content.

“I meant to call earlier,” Bin stated. He looked guilty, at least; or Dongmin hoped it was guilt and not a glitch in the laser projection. “There’s been...there’s been stuff going on. A lot of stuff. It’s...ah, I mean, I didn’t call to complain. I want to ask about you.”

Dongmin grinned. “I like hearing you talk about yourself,” he responded. “Besides, it’s been boring here. I’ve just been studying. I got a job, you know, as a ship inspector.”

“For cargo ships?” Bin asked, and though the topic was boring, he still looked interested. Dongmin felt flustered around Bin.

“Yeah. It’s...it’s a lot to memorize. I mean, I don’t necessarily have to sit down and memorize every last bit of the ship, but I have to  _ know _ it, at least. I have to be familiar enough to make my way around the whole ship and to know what to look for during the inspections. I actually was on board a ship like yours, just a few days ago. A repurposed fighter ship.” He laughed and added, “I didn’t realize how small it was!”

“Oh, god, you wouldn’t imagine how cramped it gets!” Bin exclaimed. “When I first started training, I had to spend a week on board with thirteen other students. Our crew is light at the moment and it’s still pretty awful, so you can imagine how it was then.”

Dongmin  _ couldn’t _ imagine it. A handful running the ship, sure, but thirteen? He shook his head. “That should be illegal,” he replied, clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth to signify his displeasure. “I know the bigger ships could handle thirteen, but those smaller ships just…” He sighed. “I mean, at least I’m not an engineer. I saw the engine room — that’s pretty cramped.”

“Our engineer complains a  _ ton _ ,” Bin said, rolling his eyes. Dongmin tried to think of the engineer’s name. He could not. “But we’re working on a skeleton crew, like I said, so he’s doing the job of two people now.”

A skeleton crew. Dongmin  _ knew _ they had more. Dongmin had heard a variety of names when Bin used to call him regularly. Now, though, where was their crew?

And why were they busy? Why was Bin out in space, unable to communicate?

“Are...are you going to be gone for a while?” he asked, nervous to hear the answer.

He saw Bin nod and, once more, he saw brief guilt flash over Bin’s expression. “I guess. I’m not sure. It’s...we’re in a bit of a mess, Minnie. If I was the captain, though...if I was captain, I’d fly back there in an instant to see you again.” He looked at Dongmin and sighed. “I really miss you.”

Dongmin’s heart clenched painfully in his chest. He swallowed past the lump in his throat and murmured, “Bin, I really—”

He was cut off, however, by a noise—doors opening—and then a new voice. “Bin, we need you on the bridge. Something weird is happening to the ship. Power generation is down.”

Bin looked shocked, but then the projection started to glitch. He said something and the words were garbled. The lasers scrambled to find Bin’s figure, but then the transmission was cut.

Bin was gone.

Dongmin stood in the dim room, struggling to figure out what had just happened. Power generation was down? What did that mean? He thought, rifling through his mental files in an effort to grasp at  _ something _ , some sort of information. Had he learned nothing from all of his studying? Had he really gone blank right now?

Seunghwan would know. Seunghwan was the one training him; he was smart and had plenty of experience under his belt.

Dongmin rushed out of the room and ran down the hallway.

Seunghwan was in the kitchen, putting away dishes he had just cleaned. He glanced over and stared curiously at Dongmin’s panicked form. “Dongmin? Are you okay?”

“What happens when, um, when CTL goes down?” he asked, the words tumbling out of his mouth before he could think them through.

Seunghwan cocked his head. “Are you studying?” he asked. 

“Seunghwan, just...please, tell me, what happens—”

“It depends, honestly. If it’s a home CTL it could—”

“A ship,” Dongmin clarified. 

“Oh.” Seunghwan nodded his head. “Um, other systems fail usually, too. Sounds like a power generation failure, and so the systems all shut down one by one.”

Dongmin thought it seemed difficult to breathe suddenly. He had to sit down and he gazed at Seunghwan fearfully. He knew what the answer to his next question would be. He  _ knew _ it, but he had to ask.

“So, um, does...life support fail?”

“Yeah. That’s part of the system.”

Dongmin felt like things were crashing down around him. All he could think of was Bin up in that vast expanse of space, slowly suffocating as everything around him shut off and went dark and cold.

He couldn’t help but cry.

  
  


************************

 

Part of Minhyuk wanted to pretend that things were fine. He wanted to do his usual daily inspection and point to the engines that were still running smoothly and say, “The ship is normal, and the engines won’t stop. Don’t worry.”

But he worried. He panicked. He stressed.

Myungjun was still trying to divert the virus away from the life support and engines. He was having a rough time with it; Minhyuk had never heard so many choice words leave a person’s mouth. Time had passed, each minute more dire than the next, and Minhyuk finally decided to leave when Myungjun smacked the keyboard as hard as he could.

Things weren’t going to be fixed.

He trusted Myungjun’s computer abilities and skills, but if this virus was developed by the top minds in the Syndicate, then there was no stopping it.

It was going to be the end of them all.

Perhaps what he was doing, then, was simply busying himself. If he worked in the engine room and kept quiet, maybe something good would happen. If he stayed away from the chaos and confusion on the bridge, maybe they would figure out a way to survive.

He moved to the computer that controlled the engines and opened it up.

While the virus wasn’t necessarily clear on his end, he was certainly able to see the effects of the unfamiliar coding. Certain systems were shut down, and no matter what Minhyuk tried, they would not turn back on. As Myungjun had stated, the virus attached to the engines and placed them in a long burn. Also according to Myungjun, their life support should soon shut down and the engines would explode.

If the engines exploded, so would the rest of the ship.

Minhyuk ran his fingers through his hair and closed his eyes, letting the gentle hum of the engines lull him briefly into a false sense of security. Still, panic and guilt lingered in his mind. He wondered if this was some sort of punishment for the horrible things he had done in the past. Because he turned in Myungjun’s parents, and because he was lying to his best friend, perhaps it was just all punishment.

He just wished the punishment only affected him, not his friends.

There was a loud beep suddenly, and it jerked Minhyuk out from his self-pity. The screen in front of him now displayed a warning sign:  _ LIFE SUPPORT DOWN _ .

“Great,” Minhyuk muttered. So Myungjun hadn’t been able to get anywhere with the code. Minhyuk couldn’t very well blame him; he had come on the ship unaware and was actually the only person who had the credentials to even  _ try _ and rid the ship of the virus.

His heart raced as he stood from his seat, and then Jinwoo’s voice appeared over the ship’s intercom. “Crew, meet on the bridge right now.”

Minhyuk planned to. He wasn’t sure what plans Jungsoo had to get them out of this mess, but at this point, he would appreciate anything.

He closed his computer and exited the engine room, but stopped short of taking the path to the bridge.

Sanha was likely already there, waiting. Sanha was the most concerned out of all of them, and for the first time, Minhyuk realized the horror that poor Sanha must be experiencing. He had never been formally trained or briefed by the Rebellion. He had no idea of the dangers it would entail, of the sacrifices he would be expected to make. All he knew was that the Syndicate was bad — he had only joined them in an effort to help people.

Sanha was too pure for this and Minhyuk refused to let him go down alone and scared.

Instead of heading straight to the bridge, he took a detour instead, rushing over to the sleeping quarters. 

He peeked under Sanha’s bed and mentally cheered when he found that box. Back when they were in the Alpha Centuri System, back when Sanha was confined to the medical bay for his hurt ankle, Minhyuk had stumbled across this box of photographs. It was clear that Sanha loved them; it was one of the few physical possessions he brought with him aboard the  _ Ambition _ . Minhyuk didn’t know if he had digital copies saved; Minhyuk didn’t even know if having these would be helpful, or make him happy.

Still, he wanted to hold onto them for Sanha’s sake, and so he grabbed the pile of photos and stuffed them into his pocket.

As he climbed back down the ladder to meet everyone on the bridge, he saw Sanha, lingering by as if waiting for him. “Minhyuk!” Sanha exclaimed, none the wiser as to what Minhyuk had been doing. “The—the life support system shut off! Are...are we going to die?”

“We won’t die,” Minhyuk stated. He took in Sanha’s expression; fear was the most obvious emotion displayed, which was beginning to give way to panic. His eyes were wide and his chin kept quivering. He seemed moments away from tears, and Minhyuk wasn’t sure how to comfort him.

He did the only thing he could think to do in that moment; he grasped onto Sanha’s hand and held it close to his chest. “Sanha, listen — we won’t die. I won’t let you die, okay? I’m sure Myungjun can figure out some way to save us, and if not, one of the Rebellion ships will get here in time. We’ll load onto the ship and maybe this one will be destroyed, but we’ll all survive, okay?”

Sanha nodded, trying to convince himself that Minhyuk’s words were true. “Right,” he muttered. “Okay. Okay, we’ll be fine.”

He didn’t let go of Minhyuk’s hand.

It would be fitting, Minhyuk decided, if his last moments alive would be in Sanha’s embrace. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if you have any questions through the series, feel free to contact me on my [twitter](http://www.twitter.com/thevonseal)! i will post spoilers on my twitter pretty regularly, and you can also check there for the schedule!


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